13 Internships for High School Students in Ohio
If you are a high school student exploring potential careers, an internship can help you understand how a field operates outside of a classroom setting. Internships place students in professional environments where they may contribute to research projects, support community initiatives, assist with technical work, or observe professionals in fields such as healthcare, engineering, business, public policy, and environmental science. They can also help you evaluate different career paths while developing workplace skills and professional experience.
Why should you intern in Ohio?
Ohio is home to organizations such as The Ohio State University and NASA Glenn Research Center that offer internship opportunities for high school students. Depending on the internship, you may assist with scientific research, work on engineering projects, participate in healthcare programs, support community organizations, or complete field-based environmental work under the guidance of researchers and professionals. Whether you are an Ohio student or applying from out of state, these internships offer several ways to explore potential career paths.
To help you get started, here are 14 internships for high school students in Ohio.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. Mₐ²JIC High School Internship Program - Ohio State University
Location: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Stipend: Paid internship
Dates: ~Early June to early August (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising juniors/seniors; must live in the Columbus area and have U.S. work authorization
The Mₐ²JIC High School Internship Program at The Ohio State University is a great research opportunity designed for students interested in materials science, manufacturing, and welding engineering. During this 8-week, part-time internship, you’ll work in a university lab alongside faculty, graduate researchers, and industry partners, contributing to real engineering projects. You may assist with testing materials, analyzing data, and understanding how engineering design decisions are made in manufacturing contexts. Along the way, you’ll gain exposure to how welding engineering functions as a specialized branch of materials engineering, from design to application. By the end of the internship, you’ll present your work through a research poster and capstone presentation.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines by cohort
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9-12)
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships span a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech to AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are, on average, high-growth companies that raise over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now.
3. CYCE High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Cleveland, OH
Stipend: $15/hour
Dates: June 8 – July 28
Application Deadline: Varies (typically before summer)
Eligibility: Grades 9-12; minimum age 15; must reside and attend school in select Northeast Ohio counties
The CYCE High School Summer Internship Program offers you a structured, paid opportunity to explore careers in healthcare through hands-on experience across clinical, non-clinical, and advanced technology tracks. Depending on your interests, you may work in patient-facing areas such as nursing or radiology, explore business functions such as healthcare administration and marketing, or engage with technology-driven fields such as AI, data science, and IT. The program combines real workplace exposure with professional development, helping you build practical skills while understanding how different roles contribute to the healthcare system. With a full-time schedule and guided experience, it’s a strong option if you’re looking to explore healthcare careers in depth.
4. NASA SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) High School Internship
Location: NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
Dates: Early June – August (10 weeks)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students; must be U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, with a GPA of 3.0+
The NASA SCaN High School Internship at the Glenn Research Center gives you the opportunity to explore how space missions stay connected through advanced communication and navigation systems. As part of this experience, you engage with the technologies that enable data transmission between Earth and spacecraft - ranging from satellites to deep-space missions. Interns may work alongside researchers and engineers to understand how signals are processed, how networks operate globally, and how these systems support real-time space exploration. The program includes technical training and exposure to large-scale engineering infrastructure, offering insight into both the science and operations of space communications.
5. APPS Job Readiness Program
Location: Columbus, OH
Stipend: $15/hour
Dates: Summer (with possible extension into fall/winter)
Application Deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Ages 14–23; must be a Columbus resident or taxpayer
The City of Columbus' APPS Job Readiness Program is a workforce development initiative that provides early exposure to real-world work environments and helps you build essential professional skills. Through paid placements with city departments and local organizations, you may support community programs like summer camps, parks, or recreational facilities, depending on your interests. The program emphasizes practical skills, communication, teamwork, and responsibility, complemented by mentorship and guidance from youth development leaders. While it is broader than a traditional internship, it’s a strong option if you’re looking to explore different roles.
6. Ohio Hi-Point Career Center Work-Based Learning Program
Location: Ohio Hi-Point Career Center, Bellefontaine, OH
Stipend: Varies (paid and unpaid opportunities available)
Dates: School year (varies by placement)
Application Deadline: Varies (based on placement cycle)
Eligibility: High school students; typically requires a 2.5 GPA, good attendance, and an instructor recommendation
The Work-Based Learning (WBL) Program at Ohio Hi-Point Career Center gives you the opportunity to gain real-world experience across a wide range of career fields while still in high school. Instead of a single internship, the program offers multiple pathways, including job shadowing, paid and unpaid internships, and apprenticeships across areas like healthcare, engineering, education, business, and the arts. Depending on your interests, you can choose a placement that aligns with your goals and schedule while also building practical skills through resume workshops, interview preparation, and mentorship. The experience is designed to help you transition from classroom learning to professional environments, providing exposure to diverse industries and enabling you to make more informed career decisions.
7. City Leaders Academy
Location: Columbus, OH
Stipend: Not specified
Dates: School year program (with summer application timeline)
Application Deadline: July 1
Eligibility: Grades 6-10; must be a Columbus resident with a minimum GPA of 2.8
The City Leaders Academy is a leadership-focused program by The City of Columbus that helps you build communication skills and a sense of civic responsibility through activities and community-oriented learning. While it’s not a traditional internship, it offers structured exposure to leadership development, where you explore how public systems work and how young people can contribute to meaningful change. Through workshops, collaborative projects, and discussions, you develop skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making while engaging with real-world community issues. The program is designed for students who are interested in leadership and public service, or who simply want to better understand how to create impact in their communities.
8. AFRL Scholars Program
Location: Multiple AFRL locations across the U.S., including Ohio
Stipend: $506.80/week (high school level).
Dates: Summer (exact dates vary by location).
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: High school students; must be U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, and enrolled in school with a strong academic record
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program offers you a chance to work on advanced STEM research alongside professional scientists and engineers. The program spans a wide range of fields, including engineering, physics, computer science, and other emerging technologies — allowing you to contribute to ongoing, real-world research projects. As an intern, you gain hands-on experience in lab environments, learn how research is conducted at a national level, and build technical as well as analytical skills. The program is designed to expose you to cutting-edge innovation and help you understand potential STEM career pathways through mentorship and collaboration.
9. Rural Action High School Internship Program
Location: Appalachian Ohio (multiple counties)
Stipend: Paid (amount varies by placement)
Dates: Summer, semester, or year-long options available
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9-12) in select Appalachian Ohio counties
The Rural Action High School Internship Program connects you with paid, hands-on work experiences across a range of local industries, helping you explore career paths while building practical skills. The program connects you with businesses and organizations aligned with your interests, such as environmental work, community development, or other local sectors. This flexible setup allows you to gain practical experience, receive mentorship from a professional supervisor, and actively contribute to ongoing projects. The program emphasizes both career exploration and community engagement.
10. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Multiple locations (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)
Stipend: $3,000
Dates: June – August (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: January 25
Eligibility: High school students interested in fisheries, aquatic science, or environmental studies
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a paid summer internship that introduces you to careers in fisheries, aquatic science, and environmental research through hands-on fieldwork and mentorship. The program places you with professionals across a wide network of sites, allowing you to work on real-world projects such as studying aquatic ecosystems, monitoring fish populations, or supporting conservation efforts. You work closely with a mentor, gaining practical experience while also learning about career pathways in environmental science. With placements available across multiple regions, the program offers flexibility and exposure to diverse ecosystems, making it a strong option if you’re interested in biology, ecology, or sustainability-focused careers.
11. Science for Success Teen Internships - Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Location: Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: $11/hour
Dates: Year-round (school year + summer involvement)
Application Deadline: Fall (applications reopen annually)
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen; priority for Cleveland-area students
The Science for Success Teen Internship at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History gives you the opportunity to engage in project-based work at the intersection of science education and community outreach. The program encompasses diverse roles in designing and managing educational initiatives, supporting community projects, and advancing the museum’s overall mission. Participants gain hands-on STEM experience while developing communication and leadership skills, working alongside museum professionals who mentor them throughout the program. With activities during the school year and summer, the program provides ongoing exposure to the practical application of science in public settings.
12. Public Service Scholars: High School Internship Program
Location: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Stipend: Not specified (varies by internship placement)
Dates: Summer, Fall, or Spring (aligned with academic semesters)
Application Deadline: March 1 (summer) | June 1 (fall) | October 1 (spring)
Eligibility: High school seniors in Ohio enrolled in The Ohio State University Academy; must complete prerequisite coursework and secure an internship
The Public Service Scholars High School Internship Program at The Ohio State University combines academic coursework with internship experience in the public and nonprofit sectors. The program enables you to secure an internship in fields related to public service, like government, policy, or community organizations, while earning college credit through structured coursework in public affairs and civic engagement. You begin with foundational classes that explore how public systems function, and then apply those learnings through an internship supported by guided reflection and career coaching. This dual approach helps you build both practical experience and a deeper understanding of how public impact work operates, making it especially valuable if you’re interested in policy, governance, or community leadership.
13. Green Corps - Holden Forests & Gardens Internship
Location: Holden Forests & Gardens, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
Dates: Summer (varies by placement)
Application Deadline: Varies (applications typically close before summer)
Eligibility: Ages 14-18
The Green Corps program by Holden Forests & Gardens offers you a paid internship experience focused on environmental work, sustainability, and green careers through practical learning across multiple departments. The program includes placements across horticulture and conservation, research, education, and even museum operations, allowing you to explore different pathways within environmental and nonprofit work. As an intern, you engage in activities such as scientific investigations, community projects, and nature-based programming while learning directly from professionals in the field. The experience blends practical work with mentorship and career exploration.
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
With Veritas AI, which was founded by Harvard graduate students, you can work 1-on-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we have had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. Check out a past student’s experience in the program here. You can apply here!